The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-04-28

: go cot brick'y tarrierw
Then Corkey, with a final and triumphant
shrek, went in to join his family at break
fast
II was nine o'clock when he again became
visible TO the world. He climbed 10 the
edge Of an ash barrel on the corner Of
Frankfort street and Park Row and perched
there, pulling the battered remnant Of a
discarded cigar, with his disfgured arms
thoughtfully folded and his torn old hat
balanced rakishly over his left ear. Be.
meath the rim OF the hat the child's big
black eyes roamed with lively interest over
the scene before him. All of Brooklyn was
pouring over the bridge tumbling into the
stream Of humanity from the east side OF
New York and rushing down Park Row,
swirling about lamp posts, telegraph poles
and vendors carts, running out into the
street and eddying swiftly around the ash
barrel on which Corkey sat, unuoticed and
unknown. piece Of muddy board was
partially buried in the ashes, and CorRey
possessed himself of this and pounded the
barrel vigorously as he whistled popular
AIR, but II was all lost in the roar Of the
human mill race from the bridge.
Presently the pompous figure OF an elder
ly and corpulent man came dancing along
on deft and natty legs-the picture OF seren-
"
A conscious smile illuminated his proper
looking face, and respondent beaver was
fixed at fetching angle on his head. The
sharp eyes Of the crooked and gnome-like
little creature on the barrels rim dwelt
on this monument of business rectitude and
integrity as it passed majestically by, and
| then with q sudden effort he drew back the
! single in his hand and threw II with such
| nervous force and accurate aim that II
struck the elderly citizen in the back Of the
head, sent him staggering into the street
| and rendered his hat an object Of rldlcule,
contumely and derision. The effort on
.Corkey's part was so great that he lost his
balance in the recoil, toppled over into the
| half-filled barrel and lay there on his back
with nothing in view but his artificial leg,
which rose from the barrel stiffiy sur
mounted by a weather,beaten old boot,
which twitched back and forth slowly in the
air, as though giving decorous outlet TO
its owners mirth. & .
After the erstwhile pompous citizen had
been soothed by the multitude and sent
4 upon his way the old boot which rose from
the barrel was shifted over the edge, eight
| little fingers clutched the barrels rim and
slowly lifted into view the sly and mis-
chieyous eyes of the boy. He looked alertly
in every direction like a startled squirrel
peering from his nest hole, and then clam
bering hastily to the ground went hopping
and skipping across the car tracks with
screeches Of laughter and danced into City
Hall park, Here he propped himself up in
a corner Of the fence in front Of the mayor S
ONCE, sitting with folded arms and head
bent forward, gravely acted as the umpire
| OF a game of marbles that little group OF
street gamins played IN the shade,
| Corkey was very much absorbed in this
when he heard his name spoken softly, and
I looking up saw one of the heroes OF the
Fourth ward-a gentleman who, though he
was at this date but nineteen years of age,
had already had the distinction of serving
three terms in prison for picking pockets,
besides having been bowed TO in public by
no less than two eminent bunco men. de
wore his lower jaw well forward, his small
eyes looked rather blinky and his red hair
was matted over his forehead Tight trous-
ers chung to his muscular legs and a sack
coat that sagged in front showed traces of
former splendor in the remnants of snowy
binding and big buttons. His hat was on
the back OF his head.
When Corkey saw this great man and act
ually realized that the illustrious one was
speaking to him confidentially, faint flush
| came over his thin face, and he sought &c
= -
rise.
s.Set still, Cork, said the great man affa
bly,, as he shifted his toothpick to the other
side Of his mouth and cast his weak gaze
over that portion of the park where his
wide experience had taught him the police
were most likely TO be, s'y, dom wan tel
make no blubb, v understan', FIR they's toe
many lookin' on an tn jobs got to be done
wild dead elegant quietness.
The job Corkey's heart beat wild
dance on his ribs and his eyes bulged from
his head Here was greatness indeed L
be associated with the famous crook in one
, of his operations 1t was the proudest mo
: ment of the child's life.
, .Dere's drunk over here by the foun
tain continued the crook-he is known Il
the world and the police as Bad Man Null
) yev, and like all truly great men.he is with
, out affectation or garish pride-''what's got
some Doodle in the right ham pokit of his
pans. 1t amt in any odder pokit, cause
. bin troo dunn all an knows where ii is
cause felt it from d. outside Well, he's q
, lvin on his right side wild his pokit towards
de grass. A nice little kid like yerself
Cork, kin pertend Z be playin' on de grass
an work up t him an gather de little wac
E right in without no one bein' de wiser"
5 as he very drunk, Mulveyl" asked thu
a boy softly.
5 aHe's the mos elgintly drunkestus man,
I said Bad Man Mulvey, with the traces Of
keen envy showing plainly in his face,
{ ssthat I've seen since yer ladder wuz brune
i home in O'GilIigan's ash cart and lay fur
l ded fur two days without speakin' y Mr.
e Mulyey continued, with far-off look in his
? elusive eyes and smile Of fond admiration
5 'What a beautiful load he had onto him n
5 For the first time in many day Corkey
felt that his father was the kind of mar
! 10 be proud of Then he thought of the
+, hob.naied boot that had hurt him so that
5 morning. and changed his opinion at once.
: Presently Bad Man Mulyey resumed his In
{: structions. 1t was an innocent-looking
group. The little street arabs played mar
+! bles in the shade, while red-haired youth
leaned idly over fence and talked good
natnredly TO shriveled-up little cripple,
' who Rugged himself with his bony arms
t and looked upward with breathless inter.
2 est
| After little the cripple went hopping
: across the plaza and fell TO chasing but
terHy. He circled nearer and nearer the
bench on which we'll young fellow
5 reclined in a drunken stupor, snoring
methodically, and finally dropped on the
grass behind the bench. as though ex.
i hausted by the exercise. As he lay there
he felt that the greatest moment Of his life
was at hand. But he knew that the eyes Of
the great Mulvey were on him. and he
=, needed the advice of that artist as to tht
/ necessity of .'goin' slow and not gittir
rattled'i The skinny little hand glided
: into the pocket. seized all the crumpled
' bills. the change and the keys, and no one
q of the thousands of people thereabout wa
the wiser, though it was the clearest o.
q DAYS and not yet eleven O'clock in the
! morning. The silver that Mulvey gave hin
$ was a mighty fortune, but dearer still wa